Dancing in the Glow
by skeletorwrites
Summary: Drowning his regrets in drink wasn't how Kirishima thought his night would end, especially after attending the wedding of his old friends. What happens when the source of his inner turmoil wants to catch up as the night goes on?


This isn't exactly the high note he was wanting the joyous night to end on. The drink in his hand is once again brought to his lips, the ice clinking against the glass as he drains it. Party music plays in the background while his eyes scan the near empty dance floor. A few people here and there line the edges of the center of the room, but most party guests are either chatting amicably with each other at the tables spread on the outskirts or have headed home for the evening.

He sighs, setting his third empty glass on the table he sits at and observes the happy couple on the other side of the venue. The newlyweds are two of his old classmates from school, both of them beaming and waving as their guests trickle out slowly as the party winds down. Izuku's face is permanently flushed from the ceremony earlier, ever since his bride first walked down the aisle.

Another deep sigh passes Kirishima's lips at the memory. Uraraka had looked beautiful in her dress, there was no question; but his breath had been completely stolen from his lungs prior to her even walking in. Her bridesmaids, also fellow U.A. alumni and friends, preceded her in their own train of beauty. Among them was the very reason why he was currently taking full advantage of the open bar; one absolutely gorgeous Mina Ashido.

The very same girl he had admired in middle school and fought alongside til graduation, his affections slowly but undeniably growing all the while. She had glided into the room with a confidence he admired. The girl, young woman now, was one of four bridesmaids that walked to the altar, and yet she might as well have been the one in a wedding gown to him. He'd frozen as soon as his eyes laid on her, looking so different yet so unchanged since last he saw her. She was radiant, practically glowing with happiness for her best friend.

Throughout the ceremony, though his eyes flicked over to watch his old friends exchange vows with genuine excitement, Ashido never fully left his line of sight.

Kirishima leans back into his chair with a pout, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of the empty glass. He hadn't told Ashido about his feelings at all during their time together in the dorms, all of them too focused on becoming a pro hero up to graduation.

He chastises himself, knowing that was only an excuse. The idea of rejection had stopped him, his fear pushing him into silence.

A tap on his shoulder snaps him from his musings and he startles, the leg of his chair coming down hard as he leans forward. Looking up, he feels his chest constrict in a familiar way when the source of his inner strife stands before him, smiling brightly. Her unique pink skin is bathed in the warm dim lighting of the room, wild pink hair as unruly as ever with curled horns standing amidst her locks. Her face beams at him in that infectious friendly way that reflects in her sparkling eyes, the black sclera making him feel like he could get lost in them before her golden irises snag his attention. The last time he saw her was brief, during an impromptu team-up to tackle a villain about a year ago. She's only grown more beautiful in her absence.

His heart stutters in his chest, but he masks it with a giant grin of his own.

"Ashido!"

She giggles as he stands. Ashido jumps forward, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and he allows himself to indulge in the embrace, returning it with the gusto he's known for. Her twinkling laugh in his ear seems to send a shiver down his spine before he sets her down. With tingling nerves he notes that her hands don't immediately draw away from his chest, so his own rest on her waist for a moment longer as she smiles up at him. "Heya stranger!"

The smiles don't leave their faces as he offers a chair to her and they order another round of drinks, settling into an ease with her that he's missed in the last few years.

Her gaze slides to the glasses on the table. "Didn't take you for much of a drinker," she teases, and he can feel the tips of his ears flush in embarrassment. He rubs his neck, feeling a small sense of shame at giving off the impression he was a drunkard. Noticing his expression, she laughs and pats his shoulder, once again sending his nerves abuzz. When their eyes meet again she gives him a sly smirk.

"Don't worry Kiri, I completely understand." She nods sagely, crossing her arms and gaining a knowledgeable look. "I feel like drinking my sorrows away too, looking at all the couples here. Do you know how bad I felt realizing I didn't have a plus one? Even Bakugo has a date! Bakugo, of all people! I feel like I pissed off a God in a past life or something. A curse has been placed on me, Kiri! I bet my entire pink ass on it!"

His eyes are wide as he watches her animated movements until he suddenly bellows with laughter, any concerns for his image evaporating instantly. She indignantly shouts at him for laughing at her pain, but soon she's suffering through her own fit of giggles.

The knowledge does send a thrilling tingle through him, knowing she doesn't have someone to bring as her date. There's a stab of guilt for taking pleasure from the fact, but it's overshadowed by relief.

"What have you been up to?" He decides to ask, leaning to rest his arm on the table with his whole body facing her, all his attention on the woman in front of him. She mimics his posture, their hands now laying a hair's width apart. Kirishima gulps but otherwise tries to remain unaffected. He's a grown man, for fuck's sake! He's acting like a kid with a crush he never got over, which he internally groans at once he realizes that's exactly what it is.

"Not too much... Oh, actually, I decided to change agencies! My other one had me in the office most of the time, practically got no action," she explains, her eyes rolling at all the times she got robbed of a good fight. Then she brightens. "But I got an offer from another place not too far from Tokyo! I think the one who runs the agency was called… um, oh shit, what was it… Skinny Tooth? Food Run? Uh…"

His brows draw together in confusion. He's never heard of either of those names, but they ring a very familiar bell in his head. Ashido taps her forehead with her palm trying to jog her memory, bringing a smile to Kirishima's face again. He's about to tell her it's not a big deal when her head shoots up.

"I remember! Fat Gum!"

Kirishima's knee hits the table as he jerks in surprise, causing his companion to jump in her seat. He baulks at her for a moment slack jawed, his mouth going dry.

"FAT GUM?!"

His shout startles the waiter behind him, their drinks in the man's hands jostling. The waiter gives him a jittery glance, then nervously sets the drinks down on the table and promptly makes his escape before Kirishima can even apologize for his outburst. Ashido's laughter catches his ear and his cheeks warm a bit, either from the embarrassment or her voice he can never get enough of, he can't tell.

He clears his throat before trying again, this time at a reasonable volume. "Did you say Fat Gum?"

She nods, and his heart soars. An ear-splitting grin takes over his face and he can't help the sound of disbelief that leaves him. He lets out an unbridled whoop as he raises his fist above his head, and his mood must be infectious because Ashido partakes in his fist pump and cheering. He looks her in the eye, elation overcoming any tension in his body for the moment.

"So you're the new hero Fat was talkin' about! Welcome aboard!" He practically yells at her, paying no heed to the glances from a few guests sitting near while holding his hand in front of him as if to give her a handshake. When she takes it with confusion, he elaborates. "I've been in Fat Gum's care ever since high school! I work for his agency, too. Looks like we'll be partners!"

Her face lights up, and his stomach swoops. "Oh my gosh, that's awesome! I can't wait-we'll be the horn buddies again, Pro Hero version!" She cackles while squeezing his proffered hand. Her cheeks are even more rosy than usual, and the sight of her flushed and grinning gives him goosebumps. She doesn't even realize what she's doing to him. At least, he thinks she doesn't.

Their hands are still in the other's grasp when the conversation moves along, and he notes with entirely too much timidity for a pro hero that her soft pink hand fits perfectly in his calloused tan one. Chalking it up to getting lost in the moment on her part, he doesn't bring any attention to their linked hands. He wants to enjoy the feeling for as long as he can.

Then the cloud his head is currently in is swiftly dispelled when she asks him a question he wasn't prepared for.

"So how's the love life?" she asks with a gleam in her eye he doesn't entirely know what to make of. Ashido has always been infatuated with her friends' romantic affairs since school, even being the one to practically get the couple of the night together during their third year. The question shouldn't throw him as much as it does, being an adult and a man who should have an array of romantic ventures to show for, but he gulps nonetheless, feeling like he's been caught red handed in his true feelings about the subject.

"U-um, well I," he stutters then cuts off to cough into his free hand. Oof, that was a rocky start. "I haven't exactly had the chance to… date."

His eyes slide anywhere but her while he runs his fingers through his spiked hair, the gel he'd set into it earlier retaining its shape through the action. She watches him carefully, and the hand still gently held in her lap seem to burn where they connect.

He meets her black and golden eyes momentarily, then looks to his condensating drink as he finishes, not wanting her to see through him completely. "Been on a few dates, but none of 'em ever really, I dunno, stuck."

None of them were you, is the part he keeps to himself.

That long buried fear of rejection slowly rears its head in the pit of his stomach and he begrudgingly slips his hand from hers, occupying it with his new glass of whatever he'd ordered and bringing it to his lips. After sipping the beverage without really tasting it, he turns his gaze back to hers and steels himself.

"What about you?"

Ashido looks at him for a second too long while the music in the reception hall, once loud and boisterous but now only slow and steady, plays around them. He doesn't think she'll answer after a few moments, but then she gives a small smile and picks up her own drink. The fruity looking liquor is rich in vibrance and probably has enough sugar and vodka to kill a man, but she downs it as though it were water. The way her throat moves as she swallows makes his adam's apple bob.

The wait for her to talk about her own romantic history fills him with trepidation, but his curiosity outweighs anything else at the moment.

"I've met a few people," she finally says quietly. He listens with rapt attention, willing the dread not to spread throughout his chest just yet. "A few dates here and there. I dated one guy for about a year… but we broke up a while ago." Her front teeth bite down on her plump lower lip, the action snagging Kirishima's gaze instantly. His mind is in a fog trying to process her words while trying not to let them get to him.

He hadn't been able to get past his school crush - he's always refused to address it as anything deeper for fear of it hurting more - and now he wants to feel upset that Ashido had found someone else? Of course she had. They'd been graduated for four years. He's the one that couldn't confess to her due to his own self doubt, nor could he brush off the feelings that obviously weighed him down for four years.

He chastises himself internally. How unmanly. He really hadn't grown past his pathetic middle school self after all, and suddenly he feels 14 all over again, shrouded in his own inner demons telling him how spineless he was for not even having the courage to at least try.

So wrapped up in his thoughts, he can't stop himself from letting a "why?" slip out.

Her breath hitches, something he can't remember ever hearing from her before, and then he's looking right at her face. Before he can apologize for the untoward question, she asks, "Why what?"

There's no going back now, he resigns inwardly. He figures he has nothing to lose in this situation, except maybe crossing over a line in their friendship that he really shouldn't.

"Why'd you break up? If, you know, that's okay to ask… if you're uncomfortable with it, it's totally fine! I was just-"

He stops rambling and his eyes go wide, his lungs constricting at the sight of Ashido's face positively burning, scarlet flooding her face and spreading down her neck. Her eyes are fixed directly on his until she bashfully hunkers down to gaze into her drink curled between her hands in her lap. Suddenly aware of how close they are, Kirishima sinks back into his creaky chair to openly stare at the expression on her face. He's never seen her flushed, more rarely embarrassed as the girl was hardly known as bashful in their youth.

It sets his blood on fire.

Ashido's head snaps to the center of the room all of a sudden as the music changes again, shaking Kirishima from his stupor. He turns his head to follow the general direction of her gaze, but he doesn't see anything of note. The guests are practically nonexistent now, just a few stragglers at tables near the entrance or bar. Soft lights still turn and change patterns to the beat of slow music on the dance floor. He even notices the newlyweds have moved outside, chatting with the retired hero All Might and Izuku's mother.

A soft hand lays atop his, the sudden touch causing his body to stiffen before he whips his head to meet Ashido's sly grin. The fiery blush still present on her face diminishes the mischievous curl of her lips, but it nevertheless strikes a match under his skin. Then she's up, pulling him out of his chair in one swift movement. The warmth in his cheeks return at the sight of the muscles on her arms flexing as she pulls him toward the dance floor, barely having the presence of mind to set his half finished cup on a random table they pass.

"Ashido, what-"

She twirls on him upon reaching their destination and he halts abruptly before crashing into her.

"Dance with me," she says breathlessly. The tone in her voice gives no hint of their conversation just seconds ago, and it almost gives him whiplash.

"Huh?" he asks dumbly. Ashido was a firecracker, spontaneous and always a joy to watch, but sometimes completely unpredictable. Instead of elaborating, she takes his larger hands and places them on her waist, then links her own around his neck. His pulse quickens at the touch.

"Dance with me, and I'll tell you."

What is she talking about? They had just been talking about her past relationships, and he'd rudely asked why-

For the hundredth time that night his eyes widen a fraction. He takes a moment to glance around the practically empty room, the floor entirely theirs in the soft ever-shifting light. Her eyebrows raise in an almost challenging fashion, settling his nerves just a bit at the familiar comradery it brings among the absolute mayhem his mind has been for the last couple of hours; ever since the ceremony had ended, where he'd first seen this woman he cares for so deeply, walk down the aisle.

He manages to give his own sharp grin before they begin to sway. The DJ seems to notice the pair, the first couple in an hour or so, and they dim the spotlights for the two. Kirishima is grateful, hoping the low lighting will give his hot face a chance to cool off. His palms that rest snugly against Ashido's shapely waist twitch every so often as his pulse thrums through his fingertips, and it doesn't help that her fingers are currently playing with the baby hairs on the back of his neck. All these sensations are overwhelming him, and it's only her voice that stops him from tripping over his own feet.

"He ended it, fortunately, for me," she huffs out with a bittersweet smile. Kirishima is just about a whole head taller than her, almost forcing him to crane his neck until she glances up at him through her bangs so he doesn't have to imagine what she looks like. He wonders just how much she cared for this guy, to make such an expression.

"He was a really nice guy. He asked me out after work one day and I thought 'why not?' It was the first time in a while that I'd had a lot of fun, and he was really sweet, and paid attention to me." They sway in slow circles as she continues to smile sadly, her eyes looking over his shoulder, and he knows she's not looking at anything that's really there. A sharp pain twists in his gut listening to the girl he may very well never be over talk about another man.

"But he realized before I did that I wasn't happy. I felt bad for that, but I'm glad he told me."

Kirishima looks down in surprise, not noticing the way her body drifts closer to his while she speaks. Small wisps of pink hair tickle his chin as she rests her head against him, his arms encircling her waist until they're clasped at the small of her back. He's entranced by an unspoken something that hangs over the two, floating just out of reach of his understanding.

"Why… why weren't you happy?"

His voice is shaky and raspy, much to his chagrin. Slowly, her feet stop moving back and forth and eventually their bodies follow suit. The world seems to stop spinning as they come to a halt in the very center of the polished wood floor. He can't hear any music that drifts around them due to the roaring in his ears, and the thumping through his temples make him a bit lightheaded. It feels like they're the only ones in the world, the close proximity making his blood pressure spike.

Then Ashido pulls back from where her head lays on his chest, and his heart follows her. Just like it always has.

Her soft hands delicately untangle from his neck and slide slowly, cautiously, to frame his face. His breathing is slow, not wanting whatever spell her alluring eyes have him under to come to an end. He sees her eyes flicker to his lips and his heart is just about ready to burst.

Understanding is starting to dawn on him as he holds her close. A sliver of doubt tries to weedle its way into his gut, but for once he can't hear it over the loud clambering of his heartbeat against his ribcage. Her voice is low, heavy with emotion when she answers him.

"Because I loved someone else."

His hands shake the tiniest bit as he gingerly cups her warm, red cheeks. There's a distinct sting behind his eyes that he tries to ignore when Ashido leans into his trembling palms. He doesn't deserve the adoration shining in her eyes, but he thinks one day maybe he could.

His forehead rests against hers as he lets out a strained breath. For years he had been so focused on his own fears, his weaknesses, of being left behind by all the others who were better than him. Afraid that the one he wanted to prove himself to the most would somehow be disappointed with him as a hero and a man. So wrapped up he'd been in his insecurities, he'd never even entertained the possibility of his feelings being returned.

As he shares an intimate look with Ashido, with Mina, a familiar weight he's carried for years builds in his chest, begging to be let go of.

Every long look she gave with something he couldn't describe behind her thick lashes, the electricity each time they brushed against each other; he can finally put a name to what was hanging unspoken between them. Now he just hopes, needs her to confirm it. For the first time in his life he feels all apprehension in his mind silence in the presence of her .

Mina's lips are mere inches from his. "And I still do."

His tongue dries in his throat and his chest is tight, too tight while her eyes search his frantically, trying to catch any sign that he understands. It's the most unsure of herself she's ever looked, and he decides he never wants to be the cause of it ever again. He bites the inside of his cheek in an attempt to get his body to cooperate, tasting iron, but he can't find his voice.

He never thought he'd get this moment. His body is rigid in sheer joy and disbelief. His thoughts race a mile a minute, almost as fast as his galloping heart. While he breathes the easiest he has in years, however, Mina holds hers. Watching the way the muscles in his jaw flex, she waits for a reaction, anything, to show that he'll reciprocate.

When there's no immediate change in the shock on the man she loves' face, Mina's eyes take on a glassy quality as she inches away from him, embarrassment and heartbreak creeping up on her in his silence. The confidence she'd built up throughout the night crumbles, and tears well up on her lashes in mortification that maybe she'd read their interactions wrong.

"I… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have… I just thought-"

In an instant the dance floor they stand on feels like it's tipping, and suddenly neither of them can think as Kirishima's lips crash into hers ungracefully. A surprised squeak dies in the back of her throat as her hands fly to his chest to steady herself. His rough palms are unwavering as they cradle her face, his thumbs gently stroking the skin of her cheekbones as he breathes her in like a drowning man coming up for air.

The kiss leaves them breathless, but the relief rolling over the two in waves gives them another boost of adrenaline, and then she's arching to meet his desperate mouth. One of his hands moves to the back of her head to tangle in her short, curly hair. The other slides to her waist to hold her steady against him, his touch blazing a hot trail down her body. The sensation makes her knees weak.

All too soon they break away for air, and their foreheads come to rest against each other. Kirishima swallows after he takes a few deep breaths to calm his erratic pulse, then gathers every ounce of courage in his body to tell her what he should have forever ago.

"Ashido Mina, I love you. So much," he whispers, closing his eyes under the weight of her gaze. He licks his lips and exhales through his nose. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. You are... so amazing, in every way. You already know how I used to compare myself to you in middle school, don't you?" he asks redundantly.

No one else is on the dance floor but them, and yet he still keeps his voice low, only wanting her to hear what he has to say. The woman in his arms remains quiet, waiting for him to say his piece; something he's extremely grateful for.

A featherlight touch is felt on his forearm and he opens his eyes to her warmly staring at him with an encouraging smile, urging him to continue. He smiles back.

"But having you cheer me on when we were younger made me want to be better, and throughout U.A. you were always looking out for me. I worked hard to accept my insecurities, and even though I've still got a ways to go, you were always a source of strength for me. You've been my hero for a long time."

A soft gasp followed by a heavenly giggle comes from her, slightly warbled from the tears threatening to slip down her cheeks, and he can feel the tension in his body loosening.

"On par with Crimson Riot?" she asks with a hint of sarcasm.

He looks up at the ceiling as if in contemplation and regrets it almost immediately as one of the spinning lights blind him momentarily. He lowers his chin to look at her through heavy lidded eyes, and he's once again reminded of the 15 year old girl who gave him the motivation to pursue his passion. A small smirk stretches across his lips.

"I don't know if I'd say 'on par'..." he teases, and a chuckle escapes him when she pouts dramatically.

With the realization that he can do it without worry, he swoops in and kisses her twisted lips until he feels a smile return to her face. Mina responds with fervor, pecking the edge of his mouth before he pulls away again. He doesn't try to keep his wide smile from growing. "But definitely up there."

Like a broken dam, the love and sheer happiness inside Kirishima floods his chest and he can't stop himself from lifting Mina into the air with an impromptu twirl, her loud, surprised laughter sending tingles through his limbs. When her feet touch down again, she entwines their fingers and begins swaying them once more, the two oblivious to everything but each other.

He bends to claim her mouth again and she gladly lets him, snickering when his teeth nip at her lower lip.

Suddenly a cough interrupts them, and the two's necks almost make an audible crack as they snap towards the source a few feet away.

The newlywed Midoriyas are standing to the side with beaming faces, as are a few of their other old classmates and friends, all in varying states of excitement. Kaminari and Sero begin hooping and hollering over the soft music, hanging off each other in their inebriated state. Yaoyorozu has her hand on her lips with teary eyes, nodding proudly at the scene like an approving mother. Even Bakugo, though he's standing further from the clustered group, shouts, "About time, Shitty Hair!"

The unknown spectators all converge on the flustered couple, eagerly congratulating them and making comments, asking questions, and even joking if there will be another wedding soon. By the end of the ordeal, the pair's complexions match Kirishima's hair color.

Eventually they find an excuse to remove themselves from the group, ignoring the narrowed eyes and knowing smiles on just about all their friends' faces, and the two swiftly head straight for the exit after once more congratulating Izuku and Ochako.

The cold summer breeze hits them as they step outside and sigh in relief. They share a brief look before bursting into more fits of laughter, both shaking and bent over, releasing any leftover tension from the whirlwind of an evening they've had.

Mina wipes a tear from her eye while her breathing returns to normal, some leftover giggles still escaping her. Kirishima stands with his hands on his hips as he watches her adoringly, the chilly air ruffling the spikes atop his head.

"So, whaddya wanna do now?" She asks. His sharp teeth flash with a toothy smile and he comes to stand close to her side, intertwining their fingers and marveling at how much he loves the feeling.

"Wanna go on a date?"

She scoffs into the air, but squeezes his hand back all the same. "I think we got this whole thing backwards," she remarks. "I think it's supposed to go confession, dating, then 'I love you'."

He chuckles. "Yeah, you're right. Guess I kinda got those mixed up."

The grin he receives is blinding, and he wonders if he'll ever get used to having it directed towards him. His hand instantly grows cold when she drops it, but not a second later she's lifting his arm and curling into his side, wrapping around his middle. She fits perfectly, and the endearing action brings more heat to his face.

"How bout we go on a date, and you can tell me all about your confession while we eat?"

They begin walking to the venue's parking lot as his arm settles around her. "Hey, I thought I just gave you my confession!"

"I wanna hear more!" she sing-songs, her giddy tone making him huff in a playful way.

"Fine, fine. But only if you give me yours!" He sees her cheeks puff in a pout. "Hey, it's only fair!"

They pause when they reach the end of the gravel path, the soft music of the party so far away now that it's nothing but a hum that reaches them. The pink hue of Mina's skin seems to glow in the light given off by the walkway lamp as she looks at him, and his hold tightens.

"Deal," she whispers with deviance. "But only if you kiss me some more."

Of course, he is more than happy to oblige.


End file.
